Rook

Getting to the cave was a bit tricky, but Rook knew the way fairly well, since he'd spent many hot summer days lounging in the cool mouth of the cave. And when the winter was bitterly cold, he found that the cavern provided perfect shelter and slightly warmer temperatures compared to the average bitter January day. "Ahhh, here we are. Feel that air? And listen..!" Rook hopped from a shallow ledge and landed at the edge of a stalagmite. His ears were turned towards the darkness, where sounds of water dropping quietly could be heard echoing from the vast tunnels before them. Tail wagging even more, Rook looked expectantly to his new-found friend, to see what his reaction would be.

Assassin

Assassin treaded the ground lightly, his paws slipping slightly as they immerged into the cavern. It was damp, and the steady, consistent drip of water from the ceiling was mesmerizing. It was so mystic in here. The sounds and the vivid colors that dimly-lit the darkness. Assassin was stricken with awe. "It's amazing..." the wolf breathed, glancing at Rook with flickering amazement. "Why haven't I been here before?" Assassin chuckled softly, his tail wagging in-sync with Rook. He took several steps forward, taking in a deep breath. "I feel like we are in some secret, sacred place..."

Rook

With a deep breath, Rook took in the damp, mineral-laden scent of the cave that felt cooler on his lungs than the humid, hot air outside. It was refreshing, and at the same time, as mystifying to him as it was to Assassin. Compared to the outside world, the cavern was a radically different world. "That's the same feeling I get whenever I come here. I've always wondered where all this water comes from, too." Rook stepped further into the cave, where his darker pelt blended with the lower light, and yet stood out when caught against the backdrop of the dazzling colors that reflected against the water and the damp walls.

Assassin

Assassin approached one of the rocky pillars, gently rubbing an itching side against it. He felt like he was walking on holy ground, but this cavern was nothing out of the norm. Just peaceful. "With all the wars raging, it's a little scary to be approached by such a peaceful place," Assassin admitted wistfully, sighing. "It's rare to be able to go somewhere without being growled at, or chased away, or questioned. You're one of the first canines to not greet me with barred teeth."

Rook

Finding a puddle of cold water at his paws, Rook lowered his broad head and lapped at the refreshing liquid. A strong mineral taste greeted Rook, making him pause at first, before he decided the extra bit of flavor wasn't necessarily unpleasant. "I have to agree with that. I'm surprised - and thankful - that no one has tried to take over this place as their own land." Going from his previous light-hearted, easy-talking nature, Rook portrayed some of the same wistfulness as Assassin, and a more thoughtful facade to go along with it. "It makes places like these, and individuals like yourself," The hybrid nodded his muzzle as the other canine, ",few and far between."

Assassin

The brute sat down comfortably, feeling a drop of water fal from the ceiling and sink down through his fur at the base of his neck. He did not mind the unexpected downfall, but rather allowed it to continue. "I was born into a warring pack. My grandfather and my uncle were at odds, working hard to destroy one another," Assassin confessed to Rook, sighing softly. "It was a puphood were blood, rape and hate was just all to common. And I'm not the only wolf. Is this what our valley is raising its new generation on?" There was a wavering amount of concern in the wolf's voice. He narrowed his eyes. "But that's just the words of a lonely wolf. I am not going to become a revolutionist. That just means going to war against all the other packs..."

Rook

His tall ears twitched slightly, registering even the faint echo that sounded when Assassin spoke. He'd heard howls echo in the valleys and off the steep cliffs around the canyon, but the way the cave magnified sounds as light as a spoken voice was amazing to him. On a much more sorrowful note, he turned his eyes down and listened somberly to the history that his friend revealed to him, and knew such stories were all too real. "It's a great shame that things have come to this. I don't know how I managed to stay out of all that growing up... or most of it, anyway, but now I find it hard to stay out of the conflict sometimes." Rook sat down against the cool stones, mimicking Assassin's actions. With his dark, gray-black coat fairly wet already from the spray of the falls outside, he didn't mind how damp the cavern floor was, or how the occasional drop of water would find its way onto him from the dripping ceiling above. "I don't know..." With a quiet huff, Rook mused on the other's words, "I wish there was an easier solution that didn't involve further bloodshed."

Assassin

"That's why I ran away. I left my family, just suddenly, because I was scared. I didn't know if they were safe," Assassin admitted shamefully, his voice dropping to a soft murmur that rose only slightly over the run of water. "Am I a coward for running. Selfish for putting my life before everyone else?"

Rook

Rook didn't answer the other right away, but sincerely stopped to ponder the question. His dusty-black face creased in thought, "No, that just makes you a survivor. You ran off because you didn't believe in that kind of life, one with constant fighting and bloodshed." The hybrid sounded assured of his response, and even nodded his head a little, as if his words were meant for him to listen to as well. "If you have guilt, you can always go back to check on them."